How, When and Why of Forest Farming Website

Purple Raspberry

General
Common NamePurple Raspberry
Latin NameRubus odoratus
CategoryFruits 
FamilyBrambles 
VarietySee Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit at Home 
Visual Traits
Flowerpurple
Fruitaggregates of drupelets; red
Height5 ft
Cultivation
Cultivation and Mulchingcultivate 3' wide strip, no deeper than 2"; do not mulch
Field preparation and plantingprepare soil one season prior to planting; clear wild brambles; do not plant in location that may host verticillum wilt
Field spacing / planting depth30" within rows, 9-10' between rows / 1" deeper than grown in nursery
Harvestevery 2-3days
Propagation methodroot suckers, bare root, tissue culture
PruningJune, pinch primocanes back when 3-4' tall; early spring, prune off winter damaged canes and cut laterals back to 1' length, thin canes to 2-3/linear foot row
Retail Source30 in apart, in rows 9-10 ft apart
Softwood cuttingssummer and/or fall; berries do not last > 2-3 days on plant
Transplantrooted canes early spring; tissue culture plantlets after last frost
Watering guidelineswater liberally at planting; require irrigation throughout growing season; early morning so that plants may dry during day; plant in raised beds if threat of water accumulation
Critters
Insect and invertebrate pestsraspberry cane borers; raspberry fruitworms; spider mites; blackberry leafminers; raspberry sawflies; japanese beetles
Pathogensphytophthora root rot, mosaic virus, ringspot virus, verticillium wilt; spur blight, cane blight, anthracnose; botrytis fruit rot; orange rust
Wildlife Pestsrodents
Soils
Fertility / qualitywell drained
Moisture and drainageexcessive water promotes phytophthora root rot or frost heave; drought intolerant
pH5.5-6.5
Textureprefers sandy loam, tolerates wide range
Growth Pattern
Fruit bearing age / full crop load1-2y / 3y (replant after 10y)
Growth ratefast
Longevityshort
Habitat and Climate
Fire tolerancevery tolerant
Frost-free days (FFD)90
Hardiness ZoneZones 5-7
Wind / ice / frost susceptibilitysusceptible to frost heave in wet soils
Light
Light recommendationfull sun
Shade tolerancemoderately tolerant
Special Notes
Note 1hydridizes readily with other Rubus sp.